


Wild Things

by Kittenshift17



Category: The Phantom Stallion Series - Terri Farley
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Cowgirl, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Get back together, Horses, Post-Break Up, Ranching, Smut, after the finale, cowboy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-09-05 09:44:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16808158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittenshift17/pseuds/Kittenshift17
Summary: 4 years after heading off to college, Jake comes home to the Three Ponies and River Bend. He's expecting lots of things when he returns but a tight-lipped, changed Sam Forster isn't one of them. Can they find their way back to one another after he broke her heart, or is Sam too changed to forgive him? Jake knows one thing, he wants his girl back and he's going to get her





	1. Lively Mustang Eyes

Samantha Forster rode the black roach mane Quarter horse mare bareback across the playa beneath the hot summer sun. Summer had only just begun but there was already a keen bite in the sun as it beamed down on the Nevada desert. Witch loped with easy grace beneath her. It had been four years to the day since Jake had left for college and in that time Sam and Witch had developed a keen friendship. Personally Sam blamed that on the fact that they both missed Jake so much when he was away, although Sam had refused to admit that fact to anyone other than her horse friends.

Things between Sam and Jake had been a little awkward when he came home during the first breaks he had from college. But then that was to be expected. After a time though things had gotten easier and fallen back to the comfortable friendship they had always shared. Now when Jake came home they caught up and never mentioned what had been between them the summer before he left.

"Should we gallop Witchy?" Sam asked the mare, her black ears flicked back to catch Sam's voice. Sam smiled; about a year after Jake had left Witch had finally accepted that if she wanted any exercise she would have to tolerate Sam. Tightening the muscles in her thighs and leaning forward Sam urged Witch into a gallop, letting loose a wild yell, the likes of which she grew up listening to the cowboys in her life utter. Sam had learned a great many things from the cowboys in her life.

Sam's brown Stetson blew off her head and flew to the end of her stampede string; the one Pepper had helped her make when she was thirteen and re-learning her place in Nevada. Witch's hooves pounded against the desert floor as Sam clung to her back. Nothing could ever compare to riding the Phantom, but riding Witch came awfully close.

They were headed for home after a long afternoon of riding the trails that surrounded River Bend Ranch with Jen Kenworthy. Jen had come home yesterday from her college in Montanna and they had both been excited to catch up. In spite of the quarelling between their mounts due to Witch's awful temper, Sam had also confessed her anxiousness about seeing Jake when he came home this summer, pouring her fears into her best friend's waiting ears. Jen had listened curiously as Sam poured out her nervousness. Sam had no doubt that Jen had been shocked by the amount of babble Sam had spouted at her; babble wasn't her way anymore. But today she couldn't control it. Jake was coming home tomorrow, Sam knew because the Ely's were very excited as Jake and Kit were both coming home tomorrow for the summer, and they were going to have a Bonfire over at Three Ponies Ranch.

In Jake's absence Sam and Quinn and Brian and Adam Ely had formed something of a band when Quinn had walked in on Sam singing to the horses in the barn at River Bend one day last year. Mostly they just played together for fun but Maxine had requested that for some of the evening they play a few songs. Sam was terrified to do it. She'd grown out her stage fright and fear of public speaking at sixteen and most everyone who would be attending had heard Sam sing and watched her play guitar with the Ely boys. But not Jake.

Last summer break when Jake had come home, Sam had been in San Francisco living with Aunt Sue while she took a fast-tracked summer internship that had earned her a Journalism diploma. Meaning that she hadn't been home the last time Jake had and that they now hadn't seen each other in almost two years. They spoke on the phone occasionally, but Jake was still awful at making conversation so most of the time Sam tried to coax him into talking for a while before they hung up.

As River Bend bridge came into view Sam sat up, slowing Witch back to a lope. Then she dropped her reins as she threw her arms wide, clinging to the mare with one the fabric of her jeans and the strength of the muscles in her legs. Sam loved to ride like this because it made her feeling like a mythical centaur. She longed to try it on the Phantom, but so far the only horse on River Bend that had tolerated such crazy behavior was Witch. And the only reason Witch tolerated it was because she had grown accustomed to years of Jake leaning out of the saddle like he might fall so that he could read tracks in the dirt.

As they entered the cool tunnel of the bridge Sam let loose another cowgirl yell, splitting the afternoon silence before enjoying the way the sound complimented the echoing of Witch's hooves as the clopped across the bridge. At almost nineteen Sam had finally learned to trust her body and trust her horse and had accepted that the fear she had of falling did nothing to keeping her from the act. She'd put aside the terror of falling to the ground, the fear of the pain of slamming into the dirt. Somehow Sam had managed to let go of the fear and doubt caused by her accident all those years ago. Now Sam lived by a code that no matter what each day threw at her, be it blizzards, hurricane's floods, coyotes dead cattle or changing dirty diapers for her kid brother, outwardly nothing was of more significance and worth any more worry than a spot of hat hair. Somehow it made life easier.

Sam was midway across the ranch yard when she saw the truck the color of washed out denim. Witch saw it too and when she did the mare skidded to a stop, causing a huge cloud of dust to engulf the yard as Sam tried to peer through it at the truck. Sam couldn't believe her eyes. Surely it couldn't be. But it had to be! Witch's reaction confirmed what Sam's mind had presented her but was too shocked to believe. Sam gulped.

That was Jake's truck.

Jake Ely leaned against the round pipe corral next to Wyatt Forster. They had both looked up as they heard a cowboy yell that was too high pitched for a cowboy and the sound of hooves as a horse clopped across the bridge. Jake had knocked his black Stetson back out of his unbelieving eyes. The rider had dropped their reins onto the horse's neck and had her arms flung wide like she could fly as the mare loped across the bridge without fear.

They cleared the bridge and loped all the way into the middle of the yard before the mare skidded to a stop and Jake realized that the mare was Witch. Surely it couldn't be. No-one but him was crazy enough to ride Witch bareback. The mare was viscous; she'd eat anyone who tried. Yet there before his eyes stood his mare, with a young woman sitting bareback astride her. Wyatt Forster began to chuckle at the disbelieving look on Jake Ely's face. Sam had come a long way with Witch and with her skills in riding. Wyatt had even given in to Sam's nagging after she expertly trained her filly, now they worked together schooling young horses for resale. Sam was equally good at it as Jake had always been.

The men watched as the mare began a prancing walk like a dressage horse towards Jake's truck, no doubt hoping she would find her favorite master. The girl astride her flicked her head from side to side, eyes furiously searching the ranch yard. When her blue eyes landed on the men where they leant against the round corral she raised her eyebrows and let a slow smirk light her face. Wyatt noticed that his daughter had learned to imitate Jake's lazy tomcat smile as she'd grown into the sassy, quick-witted young woman. She murmured to the mare as she used her legs and a slight pressure on the reins to direct the horse towards the men at a walk.

Jake stared.

The rider had to be Sam, but it just couldn't be Sam! Her hat hung down her back, as did her long thick wavy auburn hair. The red tank top she wore was tight fitting, revealing her toned, tanned arms and clinging to her every curve. And shoot, did that girl have some nice curves. Her blue jeans, torn over one knee, encased her legs that clung to the mare as the mare walked slowly towards him. Her heart shaped face was tanned and she smirked in a way that Jake had never seen her smile. She'd perfected that lazy smile. Sam's warm blue eye's laughed at him as he stared in shock.

"Well if it ain't Jake Ely." She drawled at him as she threw her legs over Witch and slid to the ground next to the sleek black mare. "Still shy as a shadow at midday aren't ya Jake?"

Wyatt outright laughed when Jake's jaw dropped. Sam had picked up a slight western drawl a while ago, but she emphasized it now, letting her words twang in a way that was almost irritating, when years ago Jake doing the same thing had driven her mad. Sam winked at her father as she ground tied Witch ten feet away from the men.

Then she was running. Sam flat out sprinted at Jake before he could recover from his shock at her appearance and demeanor. Jake only had time to take one step forwards, away from the fence before Sam threw herself at him. Launched herself right at his chest, slamming into him with enough force to almost wind him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. And she was laughing about it. Jake spun around on the spot from the impact as she hugged him, his arms automatically latching around her to keep her from falling to the seat of her jeans in the dirt at his feet.

"Sam?" Jake asked still not entirely certain it was her, but unsure who else it could possibly be. Over her shoulder Wyatt nodded at Jake that it was her because Sam was too busy laughing at him to answer. Jake squeezed her against him, feeling that she was every bit a young woman now, rather than a sassy, irritating fifteen year old.

Two years it had been. Two long years since he'd last seen her and shoot she'd changed. Jake gave her a final squeeze before setting her on her feet in front of him. She'd grown too. Sam stood at 5 foot 8", skinny as a rail in front of him with that lazy smile back in place as she gazed up at him.

"What's the matter cowboy, don't recognize your oldest and favorite friend?" She drawled at him, an amused glint in her blue eyes. Jake fixed her with a lazy tomcat smile of his own.

"Naw, jus' thought you'd always be shorter than a fence post." He drawled back at her, his eyes laughing as they flicked over her from head to foot "Still wild as a rooster in a rattler pit though aren't ya?" He said when she stuck her tongue out at him.

Samantha couldn't keep from grinning at her oldest buddy for his drawling cowboy sayings. True she had picked up a few of her own now that she took more instructions from Dallas, the foreman of River Bend on the work for the ranch she performed every day when she wasn't in class at the community college in Reno or schooling young horses for resale with Dad.

"Dunno what you're talkin' 'bout Ely." Sam drawled with that slow lazy grin as she looked over her friend. Jake had grown again. He was now around 6 foot 5" tall, his mahogany skin glowing warmly in the afternoon sun. His Indian black hair was tied back in the leather throng he liked to use, but it was only just long enough to tie back at all. He wore washed out blue jeans and his boots with a black t-shirt and his old black Stetson.

Sam grinned, wondering how Jake, who never went anywhere without his hat, went at college. Did he wear it for all four years he was there, or did he put it away, only wearing it when he was home.

Jake chuckled at her evasiveness while Sam glanced at Wyatt. Dad just grinned a little, he didn't seem shocked at all that Jake was here, though Sam thought he wasn't going to be back until tomorrow. Sam felt something behind her a moment before Witch lowered her head over Sam's shoulder. She peered at Jake as though she longed to go to him, but wasn't certain she should.

Sam grinned as she murmured to the black mare "Come on Now, baby, don't be pretending you're all shy or Jake'll be thinking I took all the uppity right out o' ya." She drawled to the horse. Witch just flicked her ears at Sam and kept peering at Jake. "Go on now, he didn't drive all this way to see me Witchy, get on over there!" Sam told her firmly as she stepped out from beneath the mare's neck leaving a clear path to Jake.

Jake stared. He'd never seen his mare do that. Squeal offense or lunge for a bite maybe, barge her way in sure, but never in a million years would his mare have been so polite with Sam before now. Jake stood with his thumbs hanging in his pockets as the mare stepped closer to him until she butted her head against his chest. Then a mile wide grin split Jake's face. Sam smiled, knowing that no matter how much Jake had missed his horse he wouldn't pamper her in any way. Not like Sam did. Slowly Jake reached up and rubbed the mare's face beneath her forelock.

"She sure missed ya Jake." Sam murmured to him as he petted his mare. She longed to tell him that she'd missed him too, more than Witch had, but that just wasn't somethin' a cowgirl went around telling a man. Jake glanced at her with his lively eyes. Mustang eyes. That one look had Sam's stomach doing a somersault. Jake conveyed that he'd missed his horse, but that he hadn't driven all this way for just the mare in that look.

Sam handled her tumultuous feelings like any cowgirl would. She tugged her hat back up onto her head and low over her eyes before saying. "You wanna ride?" Wyatt Forster watched the face of his only daughter, then the man who'd been like a son to him. Things between them might have fallen back to comfortable friendship while Jake was off at college, but Wyatt knew something of what had transpired in the summer before Jake left. No doubt Samantha would marry Jake Ely one day. His Louise had said that as they watched Sam in her pigtails holding Jake's hand following Jake around like a puppy.

Now Sam stood there with her thumbs hung into her pockets, pulling all the tricks a cowboy used to hide any kind of expression or emotion. She didn't get that impatient look she used to when Jake took his time answering her question; she didn't fix him an irritated look at how long he took to reply. She just waited with her thumbs hooked through them pockets of hers, the image of patience and restraint. Wyatt couldn't tell for certain when his daughter had grown into a woman who matched every cowboy on this ranch for their grit and impassive expression designed to hide any sort of feeling, but he knew for certain that if Jake didn't get round to answering 'til next week Sam still wouldn't have asked him again.

Sam stood there waiting for Jake to answer her, acting like an iceberg in that she kept all her emotions beneath the surface. He kept stroking Witch as he watched her with his dark eyes. Sam knew he was looking for the impatience he'd come to expect from her, the anger and irritation at him for not talking much. Well good luck to him. She'd learned to cover any feeling with a nod or a composed expression the day he drove away to college with her heart in his back pocket.

The screen door of the house slammed closed and Sam heard footsteps scurry across the porch. Those were too light and too fast to Brynna's, who was pregnant again, and didn't have enough shuffle to them to belong to Gram. The little boy ran across the yard until Sam felt him collide with her leg. He was completely oblivious to the fact that Sam stood directly next to Witch who was known for her temper.

"Sissy… up?" he said hopefully as he tugged on Sam's jeans.

Sam looked down to see the auburn hair of her kid brother, Cody. He looked up at her with their father's eyes, pleading her with puppy dog looks to pick him up. He was a shy kid, so no doubt he wanted the comfort of Sam's arms before he considered Jake, who he had undoubtedly forgotten since his last visit.

"Hey Codster" Sam drawled at her brother before scooping down to lift him up and prop him on her hip. "Whatcha been doin' kid?" She asked him, it was strange for him to be out of the house without his hat on, he loved his kid sized Stetson as much as any range weary cowboy.

"We baked cookies Sammy, Gram said for y'all to come eat 'em." He told her with a little drawl of his own as he leaned into the circle her arms made so he looked into the face of his big sister.

"Is that right kiddo? Well now, you better run on back in there and tell Gram that Jake's here but he's comin' for a ride with me and we'll eat so of your delicious cookies after dinner tonight." Sam told him with a grin at the cute expression on her brother's face as he kept sneaking suspicious glances at the man he didn't know.

"Is he Jake?" Cody asked her in a whisper, flicking his four year old towards Jake before glancing back at Sam. Sam grinned.

"Now Codster what's Gram taught you about whisperin' in company, eh?" Sam chided him. He frowned and then looked sheepish as he said

"Ta not to!" Dad chuckled at his children and Jake looked on with interest at the way Sam handled the kid.

"That's right _'Ta not to'_ now would you like to ask him properly?" Sam asked him, smiling to soften the reprimand.

Cody blushed a little bit before he turned in her arms to face Jake and say "Are you Jake?"

Jake chuckled at that. "I am kiddo. But surely you can't be Cody Forster?" he asked the little boy. Cody beamed and puffed his chest out

"But I am." He said proudly, before he held out his small hand for Jake to shake.

"Well now Cody Forster, you're sure getting big. I remember holding ya when your head fit into my palm." Jake said rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while he held out his other one and shook hands with Cody.

"Dad are you done out here and headin' in?" Sam asked Wyatt, still holding her brother. Wyatt nodded

"Yeah, was on my in when Jake pulled up." He said, not wasting a word more than he had to. Sam nodded and set Cody back on his booted feet. "You run on now and tell Gram that Dad's comin' in for some o' them cookies, alright?" She told the little boy. He grinned at her and nodded before he took off running back to the house.

"Dad, I'll see you at dinner ok?" Sam told her Dad looking at him sideways as he moved past her towards the house.

"Sure, honey. You two have fun. Don't be long though, it's nearly dark. Brynna will be getting' hungry for her dinner soon, and you know she'll eat you share, Jake's too if ya take too long." Dad said, smiling at the appetite of his pregnant wife. Then he continued on into the house.

Sam turned away from Jake, who had taken hold of Witch's reins again and was watching Sam with curiosity in his lively brown eyes. She pretended not to notice before she strode towards the barn to find Ace's halter. It would take far too much effort to saddle him before riding out for such a short time, so Sam only grabbed his bridle before heading into his stall.

"Hey there my pretty boy." She smooched at the horse as he whinnied in greeting. "Now, do you think you'll forgive me for fibbing to you earlier Ace? It seems we'll be going for a ride after all." Sam told him as she let herself into the stall and put on his halter.

"You still babyin' that little mustang and embarrassin' him?" Came a deep voice from behind her. Sam glanced over at the stall door to see Jake leaning there peering in at her while Witch stood patiently behind him, whuffling her lips against the fabric of his shirt as her nostrils flared to catch his scent.

"Naw." Sam replied with a shrug at Jake before leading Ace out of the stall. "You comin' or what?" She called over her shoulder to Jake as she led her horse out of the barn.

"Yeah I'm comin'" Jake mumbled, following her out and watching the ease of her movement as she leapt onto Ace's back. She sat staring at him, waiting for him to mount up.

"Used to be you couldn't do that, without a leg up, a rock to stand on, or without laying all over him first, Brat." Jake told her as he leapt aboard Witch. The mare flattened her ears at the different weight of her rider compared to Sam's weight, which she had grown accustomed to in Jake's absence. Sam looked at Jake with hooded eyes before saying

"Used to be a lot of things I couldn't do Jake." She said seriously before nudging Ace into an easy lope and angling him toward the bridge.


	2. Lips

Jake nudged Witch with his boot heels and frowned in amusement at the way she flatten her ears at him before she burst forwards into a gallop. It seemed his horse was either punishing him for his extended absences or for the fact that he wasn't Sam. Jake tugged on the reins, forcing the mare to slow down before walking her in a tight circle, making her back, sidestep. All the things he'd always done to let her know he was the boss, he was in charge not her.

When the horse blew threw her lips in a sigh Jake realized that the mare hadn't been punishing him for his time away or for leaving her with Sam. She'd been testing him, testing how he handled her after such neglect. "You always were too sassy for ya own good." He told the mare before glancing up to watch Sam as she loped away from him. She looked back at him as he watched her and when she saw they were only walking she turned Ace in a wide arc before coming back towards him.

She rode with confidence and ease, making her graceful as she swung in time with her horse, sitting deep like he'd taught her to. She wore a real smile. Not the lazy smile she'd thrown around in the ranch yard, but a smile of happiness and Jake realized that even if she looked and talked nothing like the girl he'd behind she still loved horses more than anything else in the world. Jake wondered if she still snuck out of the house most night to meet her stallion at the river by moonlight.

"You slowpokes comin' or what?" She drawled at him she got within earshot. Jake looked at her seriously. The girl he'd left behind really had changed, gone was the girl who nagged him for answers when she question him. In her place was a woman with a body that made his heart race and a tough cowboy attitude towards everything. She kept tight lipped unless she was asking for something or tormenting someone. She'd learned how to handle Cody too, despite admitting to him years before that she had a better understanding of animals than humans.

"Where we headed?" Jake asked her, watching her as she sat comfortably astride her little mustang. He was probably too small for her now that she'd grown tall, but knowing Sam she would never give him up.

"Thought we'd head to War Drum Flats." She said vaguely. Jake glanced at the sky, now was about the time her mustangs would be headed for water. Jake grinned as he watched the way her eyes shifted and realized that was exactly why she wanted to head that way. "You still running yourself ragged for that horse then?" Jake said to her with his lazy tomcat grin. Sam looked back at Jake with an unreadable expression.

"You always could read my mind." She murmured, before turning Ace away and putting her heels to him. Jake was right behind her as Witch exploded forward, ensuring she wouldn't be left behind by her companions. They rode in silence towards War Drums Flats and reined their horses to a stop when they spotted the mustangs.

Jake glanced at Sam when he heard her sharp intake of breath and followed her eyes to where the Phantom picked his way down the hillside. His herd followed behind him slowly, but soon they overtook him in their rush and excitement for water. Sam's eyes never left the stallion, who had thrown his head high when he saw them watching them. Jake grinned when he heard the stallion trumpet a challenge in their direction, knowing it was aimed at him. Jake still remembered the time that stallion had charged him, thinking to protect Sam from Jake. He and that stallion certainly butted heads over Sam and as Jake watched Sam watch the stallion he couldn't help but think that'd he would fight anyone, even that damn horse for her.

Sam watched her stallion throw his head up as he scented their nearness. Her old friend had been so good to her, not once had that horse broken her heart. But boy, did he own a big piece of it. Sam loved him for his wildness, the freedom and unbreakable spirit he represented, and she loved him because in spite of that he'd given her his trust. To Sam there was no horse as important to her. Not even her precious Ace, who she loved to death, would ever take the place in her heart that her stallion filled.

Sam smiled when the Phantom trumpeted a challenge and began to prance towards them. She knew it was aimed squarely at Jake. Her two friends had never been overly tolerant of each other and Sam knew that even though she was a human and he was the king of the range, a mighty stallion, the Phantom counted her as his. Jake's return, in the stallion's mind, was like the challenge of another stallion trying to steal his mares and the Phantom was having none of it.

She turned her head when she heard Jake snort in amusement. He grinned at her when she raised her eyebrows.

"Your horse feels threatened by my place in your life." Jake told her quietly, watching her face closely as though he hoped her expression might give away exactly what that place was. She looked away from him and back at the Phantom. This was why Sam had been nervous and partially dreading Jake's return. They didn't know each other anymore. But what they'd had was real, and whether Sam would admit it or not, he still had her heart in his back pocket.

"Are you back for good now Jake?" She asked him without looking at him. It was always difficult to talk to Jake without looking at him, he said so much with his body and his expressions that his words were never enough to convey the truth or even half of the facts.

"Yeah and I'm never leavin' this place again." He said quietly in a voice that made Sam look at him. She raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. Jake just tugged his hat down so Sam couldn't see his eyes and Sam knew he was closing off, making her work for the answers she wanted. Sam sighed.

"You haven't change one bit Jake Ely." She told him. "But I'm glad you're back." She added, glancing away so he wouldn't see her smile. Jake's mouth threatened a small smile, Sam noticed as she stared at the lips that used to press against her own.

"We should head in Brat, 'fore your stallion shows me who's boss." He told her, letting a lazy tomcat smile spread across his lips as he watched her stare at them.

"Hmm" Sam hummed in agreement, without taking her eyes from Jake's lips. Sam glanced up suddenly, realizing she'd been staring and met Jake's mustang eyes. She blushed and hoped Jake hadn't noticed. But he had, she knew from the glint in his eyes and the tomcat smile on his face that he'd caught her staring and knew exactly what she'd been thinking as she did so.

Sam didn't say a word as she looked away from Jake's laughing eyes before she kicked Ace into a gallop, calling over her shoulder "Race Ya!"

Sam grinned when she heard his familiar cowboy yell split the air and felt a smile grow on her face even as Ace's mane whipped against her skin. Jake was finally home.


	3. Tease

Sam won the race back to the ranch, skidding to a halt on Ace after they crossed the bridge, her hat hanging down her back at the end of the stampede string. The ranch yard was lit up as the porch light glowed warmly, welcoming the pair home. As Sam slid off Ace she glanced over at Jake and saw him grinning.

"You know, we woulda won if you hadn't cheated with your head start." He told her in amusement.

"You keep tellin' yourself that, Jake." Sam replied in a drawl as she led Ace into the barn and removed his bridle, turning him loose in his stall.

Her horse looked at her in astonishment when she left the stall and closed the door in his face without brushing him down.

"Don't give me that look, you didn't even work up a sweat from your run and I'm late for dinner." She told him as she waited for Jake to leave Witch's stall.

When he did his face was unreadable as the light from the barn cast shadows off his high cheekbones. Sam stood with her thumbs hanging from her pockets as she waited until Jake stood next to her. Just as she was about to take a step in the direction of the house she felt Jake sling his arm around her shoulders. Surprised she tried to look up at him, but he had his face turned towards her, looking over her head as he quietly said,

"It's good to see you, Brat." Sam smiled, knowing that was as good as she was going to get on his feelings. He'd missed her. Sam felt her stomach do another somersault. Before he could take his arm away Sam snaked hers around his waist, pressing her side against his and giving him a light squeeze.

"I missed you too, Jake." She told him. Sam sensed him smile, even though she couldn't see his face. She started walking towards the house, not letting go of him so he had to walk in step with her. He showed no sign of wanting to let her go though. As they stepped onto the porch Sam felt her heart squeeze when Jake pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he let go of her shoulders and reached for the door handle.

"Oh, and Jake?" Sam said as he turned the knob, he glanced over at her. "Fair warning: Brynna's pregnant again." Sam told him.

She laughed when Jake froze. He didn't look like moving either as he stared at her hard; clearly unsure he wanted to enter the kitchen confronted with an emotional, pregnant Brynna Forster. Sam reached out, wrapping her hand around his on the door knob and pulling the door open. Sam grinned at the feel of his warm skin against her palm. She could also feel him tense when she touched him.

Sam was enjoying making him uncomfortable so she let her fingers trail over the back of his hand and made sure to brush against his chest as she ducked under his arm and slid past him through the door.

Jake's whole body went tense as Sam wrapped her small hand around his own large one on the door knob. He'd been shocked by her words, but was completely thrown by her actions. She ducked under his arm, her curved figure brushing against him as she slipped past, her warm finger trailing teasingly across the back of his hand. Jake gulped. Hard.

Then she disappeared into the kitchen without so much as a glance over her shoulder. Jake took a deep steadying breath before he followed her in.

"Jake Ely, it's been far too long since you were in this kitchen of mine," Gram said when she spotted Jake, swooping towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist in a hug after Jake hung up his hat next to Sam's. Sam grinned as Jake looked uncomfortable being hugged.

"Can say that again," Jake said to her as he glanced around the kitchen. Nothing in the house had changed and Jake saw that Sam stood in the doorway that led to the hallway with her thumbs hooked in her pockets. In the corner of the kitchen, curled up together were Blaze and the coydog Sam had given to Jake for his eighteenth birthday, Singer.

"Go on upstairs with Sam and wash up. We waited for the two of you to get back before eating, much to Brynna's displeasure. Get on, now," Gram said, shooing him towards the stairs where Sam waited. Jake strode towards her, noticing the way Sam leant in the doorframe. She rested her lower back in the frame and had her head tilted back, leaning on the wood, but her back arched slightly, causing her chest to stick out from the wall in a way that had Jake biting his bottom lip to keep from groaning.

As he stepped away from Grace, Jake's eyes roved Sam's curvy figure, noting again that her red tank top clung to her body in ways that should be illegal. As he looked he noticed that the top was faded and didn't quiet meet her jeans where they rode low on her hips and he realized it was the same shirt she'd worn at thirteen. His eyes were drawn to the strip of exposed skin at her hips, even there she seemed to be tanned, as though she wore small shirts too often. When Jake let his eyes rove back up her body Sam turned her head, with it still tilted back against the door frame and met his eyes. She smiled a smile that Jake could only describe as seductive, just for a moment her eyes filled with warmth and Jake swore he saw her eyes twinkle.

"Come on, Cowboy," She murmured as she pushed herself off the door frame and headed for the stairs, grinning at Jake over her shoulder. Jake followed her feeling like a man possessed. His body burned and his heart faltered out a skipping thumping beat. When Sam climbed the stairs Jake was right behind her and he very nearly did groan at the way her hips swung from side to side as she took each step.

He followed her into the bathroom and stood back to let her wet her hands and lather them up before he did the same. As they stood there scrubbing at their arms with soap Jake and Sam watched each other. Sam watched Jake with warmth in her blue eyes and the hint of a smile playing at her mouth. Jake looked back at her, trying to keep the hunger out of his expression.

"So, do your folks know your home yet, Jake?" Sam asked with a grin, Jake blinked back at her, realizing that she already knew they didn't, knowing him well enough to know he would come home a day earlier than he'd told his mother to expect him in hopes of avoiding the coming home party she had no doubt planned.

"Nope," He told her as he tried not to blush at the croak in his voice. The smile Sam fixed him took his breath away. She rinsed the soap off her arms and dried them without speaking, all the while smiling at him in a way that had Jake staring at her full red lips.

"Hey, Dad?" Sam called as she walked to the bathroom doorway.

"What, Sam?" Wyatt Forster's voice called back from downstairs.

Sam grinned over her shoulder at Jake who looked bewildered. "Jake's folks aren't expecting him 'til tomorrow and Jake and I haven't seen each other in ages. Is it okay if we have a camp out in the barn?" Sam called down the stairs as she left Jake standing in the bathroom in shock.

For several long moments Jake held his breath before Wyatt said gruffly "Yeah, alright!"

Sam laughed triumphantly on the stairs while Jake thought he just might die there in the Forster's bathroom.

"Who said I wanna spend the night with you, Brat?" Jake called trying to keep his cowboy demeanor.

It was going to be a very long night.

**~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~**

Sam laughed in triumph when Dad agreed to let Jake stay the night. She hadn't had a campout in ages and she knew for a fact that if either of them wanted any sleep they would have to sleep in sleeping bags in the barn. No way in the world would Sam be able to sleep with Jake on her floor or in her bed.

Since she'd grown taller, Sam had outgrown the bed that used to sit in her room, it was now Cody's bed and the double bed that had once served as a guest bed was now hers. No doubt Dad and Jake would try to insist that they sleep in different stalls or something ridiculous though.

Sam wasn't really sure what had come over her this evening, but the feel of Jake's lips pressed to her hair and the memories of the way it felt to kiss him were enough to drive her crazy. The things she had told Dad were true of course, they hadn't really caught up yet and it had been so long since they'd seen each other. But the way Jake had looked at her downstairs was doing funny things to Sam's body, she felt feverish and shivery and her lips tingled to be pressed firmly against someone else's. Sam had a feeling there was only a certain someone that would satisfy that tingling too.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs Sam realized that despite his question, Jake was still in the bathroom. She grinned. "Oh Jake" she called in a singsong voice like the one she used to use when they were kids. "Dinner's ready." She called again, grinning when she saw his feet at the top of the stairs. Jake looked pale beneath his mahogany skin when he walked into the kitchen and took his seat next to Sam. The rest of the Forster family members were all in the kitchen except Brynna and Sam grinned at her step-mother when she came with her eyes fixed on Jake. Maybe she didn't recognize him.

"Jake Ely, is that really you?" She asked him, rubbing at her sleepy eyes. Brynna was due to have the baby next week, so she was permanently tired because the baby squirming kept her awake.

Jake gave her a small smile.

"Hi, Brynna," He murmured, "Congratulations." He added with a nod at Brynna's pregnant stomach.

"Thank you." Brynna sighed tiredly. "Any day now." She murmured as she rubbed her distended stomach before lowering herself slowly into the chair Dad had pulled out for her.

When dinner was over and the dishes were done Sam skipped up the stair to find sleeping bags for her and Jake. She found them in the bottom of the cupboard, pulling out the one Dad usually used for Jake to borrow. She left them on the top step before going into the bathroom and brushing her teeth. There was no use showering, Sam decided, since they were sleeping in the dusty barn anyway. She'd just pit on something comfortable to sleep in rather than her jeans. Although no way was she sleeping in her night gown, not in front of Jake! No, a pair of grey sweat pants would do just fine, Sam decided, stripping off her dirty jeans and pulling on the cool sweat pants.

Slowly Sam dragged a brush through her long auburn hair, checking her reflection in the mirror. Could be worse, Sam supposed, before turning away and skipping back into the hall and almost running head first into Jake.

"Oops!" Sam said, looking up at Jake, he smiled at her.

"Still don't watch where you're going, do ya, Brat?" Jake said in his deep voice. Sam smiled at the tiny quiver that raced through her at the sound of his voice. Then she noticed he had a big green duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Probably had clothes in it, Sam thought to herself.

"I watch where I'm going just fine," she said, fixing him a lazy smile while her eyes twinkled. "I blame you entirely for the fact that we always run into each other. This is what happens when you try to stick to a girl like glue," She told him, remembering when she had first returned home from San Francisco and he'd told her he'd stick to her to make sure she didn't get hurt again. Jake's eye darkened at the memory and Sam wondered if the reminder of his words from so many years ago pointed out the fact that even though she'd needed him, he'd been away for the last four years.

Jake shrugged his wide shoulders at her but didn't say anything. Yep, same old Jake, thought Sam.

"So, uh, what were you doin' out here, lyin' in wait for a sneak attack?" Sam asked, looking him straight in the eye. Those mustang eyes haunted Sam's dreams at night sometimes.

"Naw, you're too easy to sneak up on. I was just gonna chuck this in your room and get outta my jeans. That alright?" Jake said to her, his eyes darting away from her stare, before flicking back again.

Had Jake ever been in her room before? Sam couldn't remember. Even if he had, she had made some changes in their since she was fifteen. Sam reached down to slide her thumbs into her pockets before remembering she'd taken off her jeans and realizing her sweats didn't have pockets. Instead she slipped them into her waist band, enjoying the way Jake's eyes watched her hands.


	4. Heartbreak

"Do you promise not to laugh?" she said, looking at the floor as she asked the question before the suspense got the better of her and she had to look to Jake's face to see his reaction. He raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by the request.

"At what?" he asked her in a low voice, making Sam shiver again.

Instead of answering, Sam spun around and walked back into her room, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Jake followed her. She looked around her room speculatively, trying to see it as Jake would. The patchwork quilt from her younger days was folded neatly at the foot of her double bed, the new quilt a solid red. The carpet was the same as it had ever been. All of her furniture except her bed was the same as always. It was the walls she thought Jake would laugh at. On the wall next to her cupboard she had a canvas picture that measured 26" by 38". On that canvas she had paid to have the picture she had taken for the Night Magic photography competition printed to it. The picture of Jake carrying Faith, a blind mustang foal, out of the hot springs in a snowstorm.

She had several large picture frames too; the collage type that let you put multiple pictures all in one frame. In the middle of the biggest one was a rearing picture of the phantom at the river, the moon burning bright behind him, casting him to pure silver power. The angle of the picture suggested Sam had been within meters of the rearing stallion, something Dad and Gram had both eye her disapprovingly over when she'd first printed the snaps.

Another showed a picture of her and Jen, all dressed up for their senior Prom. Sam hadn't wanted to go, but Jen insisted because Ryan had asked her. After a week's worth of dilemma and tossing up which guy she could possibly ask since Jake wasn't an option, Sam had finally worked up the courage to ask Pepper if he'd go with her. The cowboy with chili-pepper colored hair had blushed so hard, his face went a brighter shade of red than his hair. Even though the expression on his face had been hilarious, Pepper had agreed, but only after he had verified with Wyatt that it was okay first. Dad had been a little surprised but told them to go right ahead.

The picture of her and Jen in their dresses had been taken by Maxine Ely. The girls stood with their arms around each other in the gym at Darton High. Sam had worn her hair up and riddled with daisy's, like a picture she had seen of her Mom's hair on her and Dad's wedding day. She'd worn a full length dress the color of melted chocolate with a full skirt and spaghetti straps. Brynna had done Sam's make-up, making her eyes smoky and her lips ruby red.

Next to her, Jen wore her blonde hair in a fancy bun on top of her head, pinned with tiny clips adorned with fake gems that sparkled in every color. Her Mom had helped her with it. Her dress was strapless in pale blue and cinched tight around Jen's slim waist with a large pin and hidden by a huge bow. Her make-up complimented her dress perfectly and her lips were a sweet pink.

In another photo she stood with Pepper's arms around her shoulder at the Prom, both of them laughing. He wore a suit and had even taken his cowboy hat off for the occasion, baring his red hair to the world. Sam smiled remembering how he'd blushed when she told him he looked handsome.

Another photo was taken of her and Jake, both dressed up nicely from the time he had finally plucked up the courage to stutter out a request that she attend his Winter Formal with him as his date. He'd asked at the New Year's Eve bonfire held here at River Bend. For that occasion Sam had made alterations to and worn the green dress she had worn as bridesmaid to Brynna for her marriage to Dad. Jake had looked amazing, all cleaned up in the suit his Mom had forced on him. He'd worn his boots, though. The picture showed them dancing, carefully holding onto each other, as though afraid to do anything more than revolve on the spot. Sam could remember the look in Jake's eyes that night; the one that stole her breath and had her tummy doing somersaults. He'd kissed her for the first time that night, there in the gym in front of everyone. Darrell had been such a pain after that, as he teased both of them mercilessly. It had been worth it though, to have Jake as her first kiss.

Other photo's showed her holding Cody with one arm as he perched in front of her where she sat astride Ace; Dad and Brynna dancing in the ranch yard at dusk; Gram with flour dusted over one of her cheeks and her grey hair falling out of its bun while she smiled as she pointed at the camera with her rolling pin. Others showed Jen and Ryan kissing in a stall over at Harmony Ranch; Cody perched on Tinkerbell's back; Ace trying to nuzzle the camera; Quinn, Adam and Brian Ely clustered as they sat astride their respective horses each of them fixing her a slow smile while on the cattle drive in the spring; Pepper, Ross and Dallas sitting around the porch of the Bunkhouse following a hard day's work; Jen on a rearing Silly, her hat in mid air as it flew off her head.

More pictures showed Ally and Darrell leaning against each other and smiling for Sam; Mac Ely, Jake's grandfather, as he petted Gal, the Ely's dog in their yard as the sun went down behind them. In one, Dad stood leaning against the side of the barn with a piece of straw hanging from his mouth and his hat on, every bit a real cowboy. Sam had won an award for the picture of Dad.

More still showed Sam, her hair in two long plaits with daisy's through the end's pointing to something on the ground in Gram's vegetable garden while Cody squatted next to her. Cody asleep on Blaze on the floor in the kitchen; Witch and Ace touching noses; Sam curled up in a squirming ball trying to escape Quinn's tickling hands. Sam surrounded by all four Ely boys that were still living out here, excluding Kit and Jake, her hair shining vibrant red surrounded by so many black haired men, Cougar caught climbing the Christmas tree and trying to look innocent as he clung to the branches; Tempest bucking in the Ten Acre pasture.

Sam watched Jake's eyes as he took his time looking at each picture individually. She knew he hadn't come to the most important ones, yet. If he had, he would be staring at her in confusion, rather than smiling at the pictures that made up snapshots of her life. There was one large collage picture frame that held ten pictures. Sam was almost tempted to hide the frame before Jake could see it, lest he realise she was still in love with him, even after all this time.

Jake could feel Sam's eyes on him as he looked over the hundreds of pictures she had in huge frames. She had so many, and some of them surprised him. The large one of The Phantom rearing in the moonlight had him clenching his jaw to keep from telling her she shouldn't have been that close to him. But he'd seen a copy of that picture already.

She had a canvas with him holding Faith as a foal. It was huge. Jake remembered the day she'd taken it. He'd been mad at her for taking pictures of him when she should be helping with the foal she'd insisted on saving. But he'd already been angry at her for being out in the snowstorm alone, when she should have been with Jen. She shouldn't have been there at all, she should have been where it was warm and safe. The day stuck in his memory too because it was the day his horse had proved him wrong and let Sam climb up behind him to ride double. Looking back, that day was probably the day he started to fall for her.

Others were even more confusing. The one of her surrounded by his older brothers had him glancing through their positions anxiously, jealousy flaring at the idea that in his absence, she may very well have fallen for one of his undoubtedly charming older brothers. The one of her curled on Quinn as he tickled her mercilessly made him frown. Her and Jen in their Prom dresses had him smiling. Sam looked so beautiful; he wished he could have been here to take her. Instead, she had Pepper's arm around her as they both laughed at something that must have been hilarious.

Others were funny ones she must have taken herself of her family and her horses and their friends. Jake nearly laughed at the one of Darrell. The one of his horse and hers touching noses made him long to have back the day he'd left for college. So many things he would've changed. Jake smiled when he came to the picture of the two of them dancing at his Prom. He'd thought his luck would run out when he'd taken a huge breath in before taking her hand at the New Year's Eve bonfire here. His thoughts had been drifting to Sam almost constantly before he got up the nerve to ask her to his Prom. He'd wanted to kiss her that night, when they shouted in the New Year, Jake had longed to pull her closer than the hug she'd given him.

Her other photos showed snippets of time in her life. Events he'd missed, views he would usually never have seen. Jake knew Sam was private about her room too, so he felt… awed…. That she'd let him in here where her could see all these. Then he noticed another frame filled with pictures, it was placed so that anyone looking at those pictures could sit in the window seat she had there in her room. Jake moved towards it assuming it had even better pictures because she'd placed it where she could stare at them for hours.

Sam panicked when Jake headed towards the other frame. The ten pictures in that collage frame held only images of her and Jake.

In one, Sam sat curled up on Jake's lap, he had his arms around her waist and neither of them wore their hats. In another, Jake slept on the lounge in the Ely's living room, Sam was asleep on his chest and his strong arms held her tightly, as though even in sleep he feared she would try something crazy. Jake's Mum had taken that one and had given it to Sam when Sam had mentioned that she missed Jake once whilst visiting over at Three Ponies a few years ago.

In another photo, Sam sat astride Ace and Jake was on Witch, they were in front of the barn at River Bend, but they looked at each other, both grinning like fools. Another showed the two of them sitting in the barn leaning on hay bales while Singer slept with his body on Jake but his head in Sam's lap. In one, Jake rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable as he stood in the yard while Sam stood in front of him with her arms folded. One showed them at the bonfire after Jake had asked Sam to his Prom, they were on the porch, leaning back on their hands, they even looked in different directions, but the hand they each had closest to the other had intertwined fingers and smiles threatened on both their faces. Another showed Sam wrapped in Jake's arms with her arms around his neck as they kissed next to the barn at River Bend.

The final three photos were the ones Sam didn't want Jake to see, all three had been taken by Gram the day Jake left for college. One was the picture that showed Sam and Jake clinging to each other in the ranch yard at River Bend, kissing each other so passionately that looking at it still made Sam blush. The picture was taken just after Jake told her he loved her. The next showed Sam standing in the yard as Jake drove towards the bridge, the picture even showed the way his lively brown mustang eyes watched her in the rear vision mirror rather than where he was driving.

The final picture would break his heart.

It showed Jake's truck in the distance, but the foreground displayed Sam as she had turned back toward the house faced with losing him. Sam hadn't made it far. There, in the middle of the ranch yard, Sam had fallen to her knees with tears streaming down her face, her hands clutching fistfuls of her hair on top of her head.

Sam remembered that day as it burned again in her chest. That picture had captured one of the worst moments of her life. The stinging ache in her chest as Jake left her behind. The hopeless feeling she felt as she turned, hoping to rush inside to hide her pain in her room, knowing there was no way she could make it that far. She'd fallen to her knees in the dirt, her heart breaking. That day Jake had told her he loved her. Sam had whispered back that she loved him too. Then he'd told her that he'd like her to wait for him, but knew it wasn't fair to ask her to. He'd broken it off, getting in his truck before her mind had processed his words. Then he'd driven away.

Sam remembered the way she had screamed at the pain in her chest as he drove away with her heart in his back pocket. Only Gram had been home. Brynna had taken Cody to the doctors and all the cowboys were on the range, even Dad. Gram had come out of the house, running across the porch, her apron dropped on the ground as she hurried toward her brokenhearted granddaughter. She'd knelt there in the dirt with Sam, wrapping Sam into a hug so tight Sam knew Gram was trying to hold her heart together for her. Gram had rocked her there in the yard, crooning to her and singing the lullaby's she used to sing when Sam was small. When Gram had finally gotten her inside she had sent her up to her room and bought her tea and biscuits and held her until Sam couldn't cry anymore.

By the time Dad and the cowboys, and Brynna and Cody got home Sam had locked down her emotions so hard her jaw had ached from clenching her teeth. She clammed up like a cowboy. It had taken Sam a long time to un-clam herself, too. Jen had been fretting like crazy, knowing Sam was hurting and hiding it. Knowing Sam forced her mouth to smile, her throat to make conversation. To act normal. Only Gram had known the truth of her breakdown.

Sam watched Jake as he moved toward them, her mind telling her the best solution to this situation right now would be just to leave the room and let him look. Instead of waiting to watch his response, Sam spun on her heel and left the room, pulling the door closed silently and wondering if Jake had even heard her leave. She leaned her back against her bedroom door as she stood in the dark hallway. All of those pictures had been given to her by her friends or family members in the weeks after Jake's departure. Sam supposed they had all hoped they could help her get back to normal, to ease the ache of missing him, to turn her back into the girl who laughed.

The only thing that had helped had been the Phantom. Every night in the Fall, he came to the river by moonlight, and every night Sam cried against his strong silver neck until she had no more tears. Sometimes, he let her ride him; other times he slung his head over her shoulder in the closest gesture he could manage as a hug.

After that she had thrown herself into everything she did with everything she had. Her school grades shot up to A's in every subject, even algebra. Her journalism teacher couldn't give her enough stories. She searched out every possible photography competition she could in the country, she'd even entered one held in Canada and won it. She pushed herself to get her chores done faster, pestering Dad and Dallas for more work. She worked every day with Tempest until she had the filly so quiet and responsive to a rider's instructions it was almost impossible to tell both of her parents had been mustangs. She became the best cowgirl she could be, letting go of her fear of falling and sometimes even the fear of dying, it couldn't hurt anymore than her heart had. Sam had thrown herself into being the best big sister Cody could have.

She'd thrown herself so hard at life and pumped so much joy into what she did to keep her mind off her pain, that Gram once told her Sam reminded her so much of Louise that it hurt.

There were other side effects of Sam's growth as she pushed herself so hard, doing anything, just as long as it kept her busy. The things Sam had always relied on Jake to do or say or help her with became things she needed to know for herself. Dad had even told her that she got more like Jake with every passing day.

Sam had wracked her brain for everything he'd taught her about tracking and could now successfully track most anything. She thrown herself at horse training and riding with everything she could remember from Jake's comments or teaching and the things Dad had taught her, combining that with her own capability of thinking like a horse, until she rode with newfound confidence. Al too try and block out the heartache.

* * *

As the door closed, Jake pulled his shirt off over his head, noticing again the tattoo he had over his heart. He loved that tattoo. Still holding his shirt, Jake scanned the pictures in the frame. They were easy to look at in the moonlight. Then he realized that these were only of Sam and him. In every picture, their crazy headlong plunge into love was depicted.

Sam was in every one of them so Jake wondered who had taken them. The one of her sitting curled up in his lap must have been Jen. It had been taken at his place in the spring before the cattle drive. Neither of them looked at the camera, Sam might even have had her eyes closed as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Jake had thought they were alone in the barn that night.

His eyes fell on one he'd surely never known about, but it was obvious his mother had taken it. Jake slept lengthways on the lounge on his back. Sam had herself positioned between his legs and over his stomach. Her head rested on his chest and even in sleep she smiled as though she was happy to be snuggled up to him. Jake smiled when he saw his arms held her tightly despite being asleep; even while he slept his subconscious tried to keep her safe. He'd have to ask his mother if she had any other copies. He wanted one for himself.

Another was taken here at River Bend, by maybe Brynna or Grace. It looked like it might have been taken from the porch but it showed them both on horses before going out riding as they grinned at each other in excitement. All of these pictures seem to have been taken of them when they weren't posing. As though the photographers found their relationship exciting in the moments when they were too caught up to notice. Jake felt himself blush, wondering how many other moments that he'd believed to be private had been captured forever on film.

The next one had to have been taken by Brynna. Jake stood rubbing his neck and looking uncomfortable while Sam stood with her arms crossed in front of him. They'd been arguing like always, their first fight as a couple because she was going mad about him being too protective. How had Brynna managed to capture the image of their fight and make it portray the most common image Jake had ever in his mind when he thought of the two of them?

Another photo was of them in the barn with Singer asleep on both of them while they talked about training Tempest. Jake suspected Grace was behind this one. He remembered she had wandered into the barn and given Ace and Tempest a carrot each. The picture showed Sam with her eyes glowing in excitement at the prospect of training her filly. Jake remembered sitting there thinking she looked beautiful all lit up like that.

The next picture her saw, he was uncertain who might have been the photographer. He and Sam sat on the porch after Jake had asked her to be his date for Prom. They didn't sit very close together, they didn't even look at each other, but as they both reclined Jake had intertwined his fingers with hers there on the porch. Jake grinned when he noticed that both of their faces threatened smiles. He hadn't known then that Sam used all the same facial expressions he did. Like the way she had that lazy smile now.

The picture of them kissing behind the barn was probably taken by Jen or maybe even Darrell. Jake grinned as he thought back to the spring fever barbeque Grace had insisted become a tradition. From somewhere they had pulled together some wood to burn and after filling up on pie and biscuits Jake had asked Sam to dance. His brothers thought it was hilarious but Jake hadn't really cared, he'd been focused on the smile on Sam's face as she took his hand and let him whirl her around the yard, no doubt clumsily while the boys played some music. When everybody had been distracted Sam had tugged his hand to get him to follow her behind the barn. Then she'd given him a wicked little smile before pulling his face down so she could kiss him.

Jake dropped his shirt as he looked at the next picture. These were from the day he'd left. Grace must have taken them. He and Sam clung to each other, Jake's arms tight around Sam as he poured every feeling he had for her into that kiss. It was after he'd had a long think about it and realized that he was in love with her. The type of love that made him do and say stupid things, like think about not bothering with college so he could stay with her. He remembered his own shock at how clear and strong his voice had sounded as he told her and the feeling that rushed through him when she'd whispered those three little words back to him. Filled with desire and an aching urgency Jake had crushed her to him, kissing her as though she was oxygen and he was drowning.

He'd never wanted to let her go. A crazy part of him had wanted to drop to one knee there in front of her and ask her to marry him. Even though she was only fifteen.

The next picture hurt. Sam stood in the yard in her jeans and a black tank top with her back to the camera as she stared after his truck as he drove towards the bridge. He even saw his own eye reflected in his rear vision mirror watching her. He'd told her he hoped she'd wait but that it wasn't his place to ask her too. Then he'd kissed her forehead and almost run for his truck to keep himself from getting down on one knee.

Jake's heart stopped as his eyes landed on the final picture. The photographer had captured the image as Sam faced the house while his truck grew smaller as he drove away. But Jake barely saw his truck in the background. What he saw was the girl he loved on her knees in the middle of the ranch yard, her hands pulling so hard on her hair that she looked to nearly rip it out and tears streaming down her grief stricken face. His fists clenched as he looked at the pain the girl he loved was in because of him. The image burned itself into his brain. Jake had never seen so much pain on the face of anyone, but especially not on the face of his Sam.

He'd seen her so angry, she told him she hated him and that she wanted to strangle him. So worried for her horse or her friends or family that she was barely recognizable as she fretted. So happy that she seemed glow from within as she knocked him on his ass with the joy in her smiles and flying so high with happiness that she seemed delirious. But never in the eighteen years he'd known her had he seen her in so much pain. That image of her tearing her hair out on her knees as fat tears rolled down her cheeks hurt him even more than the image of her unconscious on the range after her colt had bucked her off and kicked her in the head.

He had to find her.

Sam was jolted out of her thoughts as the door she leaned against was pulled open. Sam fell to the floor and couldn't even be bothered to move so she just laid back against the floor in her doorway, laughing softly. Jake towered over her.

"You always could knock me on my ass," she muttered, looking up at him from the flat of her back. Her shoulders had landed on his feet so her head was actually on the floor in between his ankles. He must have taken his shirt off while he was looking at the pictures because he stood there shirtless and angry. Sam could see where he'd dropped it on her floor.

"Samantha," he said seriously.

Jake's voice was lower than Sam had ever heard it. Lower even than the first time he'd kissed her.

"Jacob?" Sam replied softly, still lying at his feet in her doorway. Jake bent down and slid his warm hand beneath her shoulders, lifting her with such ease and speed that Sam squeaked. Then he nudged her door closed with his foot and Sam realized he'd taken his boots and socks off. His feet were bare. He had normal feet, of course, but he looked so exposed without shoes that Sam giggled. Jake used his grip on her shoulders to spin her so that she was facing him.

Her room was dark, but in the moonlight that streamed through her window Sam could see his silhouette. He stood directly in front of her and he had his arms crossed. And shoot, did Jake look good with no shirt on! His broad shoulders were imposing, which combined with his height would make him a scary guy if he wasn't so shy. Sam bit her lips as she let her gaze travel over his strong arms and chest and tight abdominal muscles. He had a dark spot against his mahogany skin on his chest, directly over his heart. Did Jake have a birth mark? Sam didn't think so. A tattoo maybe?

Sam really didn't want to meet his eyes. His hair was loose too, swinging around his shoulders. His mouth was set in a hard line. Sam flinched when she looked into his angry brown eyes.

"Any particular reason you got no shirt on?" she asked him, flicking her eyes to the floor, only to look away from his bare feet. Instead, Sam stared at the mark on his chest, wondering what is was. Jake growled. He actually made a snarling sound in his throat like a wild animal. Sam bit down harder on her lips to keep from giggling.

"In my entire life, I've never known anyone as frustrating and as capable at driving me insane with anger than you, Samantha Forster!" Jake growled at her angrily. His eyes dared her to contradict him or interrupt in any way.

"Something wrong, Jake?" Sam asked, trying to keep the singsong lilt from her tone as a lazy smile spread across her face. Jake's arm twitched and Sam wondered if he had them tightly crossed to keep from strangling her. Sam grinned when he made another noise of frustration.

"You drive me crazy!" Jake exclaimed angrily.

"Aww, thanks darlin', but I'm spoken for," Sam drawled at him, her voice packed with so much sarcasm she giggled.

Jake looked so shocked that Sam outright laughed at him.

"Samantha!" he said sharply his hands shooting out to latch onto her shoulders firmly

"Jacob!" Sam said, imitating his sharp tone. She knew she shouldn't bait him, but if she didn't keep bugging him, this conversation was going to turn into a dark painful drawn out nightmare, then they would probably argue.

Suddenly, Jake let all the tension and anger drain out of his muscles and off his face. He stared down at her with his brown mustangs eyes, showing her his confusion. Sam sighed, damn Jake for knowing her better than anyone else! With everyone else she might have pulled on the cowgirl act, closing off her face and body, giving away nothing of her feelings, but she'd never been able to do that with Jake. He knew her too well to fall for it for very long. His dark mustang eyes cut through her no matter how much she clouded the truth with tough talk or sarcasm.

"What Jake?" she asked softly as his eyes searched her face.

One of his hands left her shoulder to rub the back of his neck, but Jake didn't let his eyes leave her face.

"I don't understand," he told her softly, so softly that Sam knew it hurt him to say those words.

Sam bit her lip and kept looking right back at him. If anyone could read her it was Jake.

"Which bit?" Sam murmured softly after they stood silent and staring at each for several minutes.

"All of it," he replied, his hand left her to flutter towards her pictures, then fluttered indicatively in front of her. Sam knew what he meant, she knew him well enough to know he was confused by the changes in her attitude, her demeanor, her appearance.

"The pictures were gifts," Sam told him softly, she hesitated before adding. "Even if they hadn't been, they still be there."

She'd let him think about that one on his own. She may have clammed up and put on this cold-eyed cowgirl face as an act to hide her pain at first, but now it was like second nature, even with Jake. While his eyes reacted to her words he held his face in a blank expression.

Sam reached out slowly with her right hand and used the very tips of her fingers to touch the black mark on Jake's chest. She couldn't see what it was in the dark of her room, but when she touched it Sam realized it was a tattoo.

Jake had a tattoo.

Jake hated tattoos.

Jake flinched when she touched him, startled by the action. Sam realized that though he had been staring at her face, he was lost in thought. His eyes focused back on her face, Sam could feel them, but she didn't look away from the tattoo as she tried to make out the picture. Her palm rested against Jake's chest as her fingertips brushed over the tattoo and Sam could feel his heart beat against her skin. She could even feel it skip a beat when her hand brushed against his dark nipple.

Sam heard Jake's breath catch.

She watched his eyes flare. Even in the shadow of his face with the moon behind him Sam could still see the heat flare in his eyes. It was so much stronger now. When they'd been together for that one summer there had been a faint heat that sometimes entered his eyes as he looked at her but now it flared bright and burned against Sam's skin.

They weren't kids anymore.


	5. Right

For several tense minutes Sam and Jake stared at each other. Sam wanted so badly to grab him and pull him to her. To press her lips against his as she slid her hands into his inky black hair. To kiss him until neither of them could see straight anymore.

Sam's whole body felt like it was on fire as Jake watched her with searing heat in his eyes. Her hand still rested lightly against his chest, her fingers frozen in place on the tattoo over his heart. Her lips tingled with new insistence at the thought of kissing him, her blood raced through her veins as her heart pounded wildly.

Jake stood frozen in front of her, only his hot gaze moving as his eyes blazed a fiery path over her body. Sam could feel the tiny tremors that shot through her as he stared hungrily. Moving slowly, as though he feared he'd spook her, Jake lifted his arm until his warm hand wrapped around Sam's where it rested against his bare chest. Sam heart fluttered in her chest when he didn't push it away. Instead he held her hand there against his chest, staring down at her hungrily while Sam stared up at him, longing to kiss him.

Moving as slowly as Jake had, Sam slid her feet forwards over her thin carpet as she bought her free hand up to rest it on the side of Jake's neck. They stood with only a few millimeters separating their bodies. Jake's free hand, which had been rubbing at the back of his neck slid slowly down the length of Sam's arm and over her shoulder. He let his warm hand travel slowly beneath her thick auburn hair to rest on the nape of her neck, tilting her head up slightly. Sam held her breath as they stood frozen like that until Jake breathed

"Sam?"

She knew it was a question. Knew he was asking her if it was ok for him to kiss her. Sam gave him a small wicked smile and let go of the breath she'd been holding. Jake took that as all the permission he needed.

Dipping his head an inch, Jake's warm lips captured Sam's. Sam's hand tightened on the side of Jake's neck as he kissed her slow and careful. In spite of the urgent heat she'd seen in his wild brown eyes Jake took his time, kissing her gently as though he expected her to push him away at any moment. His lips brushed over hers softly and Sam realized he was holding himself back, not wanting to rush her. His tongue swept softly against hers and Sam reveled in the sweetness of this kiss.

With her eyes closed Sam felt Jake let go of her hand before his arm slid around her lower back, pulling her closer to him until their bodies pressed together in a way that made Sam's heart flutter wildly. She slid her hand up his chest and over his shoulder, letting it tunnel into his long hair. She'd always liked Jake's hair best when it was long and wild. The way it looked when he rode and it came loose of the throng he used to tame it, how it tossed in the wind like the mane of a wild stallion.

The kiss was long and sweet and deliberate. Sam could feel the warmth and passion begin to burn inside her as she took control of their kiss. Where Jake kissed carefully, with slow deliberateness and no insisting pressure, Sam threw herself into the kiss, her tongue sweeping faster against his, her lips pressing harder, her hand tightening into a fist in his hair. Jake didn't seem to mind. His arm around her waist tightened, pressing her against his hard body with delicious pressure. The hand he had on her neck trailed a hot path down her back and Sam grinned when she felt his strong arms use their grip on her waist to lift her off her feet.

Sam took it as a dare.

While Jake lifted her feet off the ground Sam wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles against his back as she kissed him in a way that demanded passion. She could feel the corners of his mouth twitch in a smile as her kissed dared him to let go. Sam knew he was holding back, not letting himself lose control and she wasn't having it. Using the strength in her thighs Sam tightened her legs around his waist, her fist in his hair tightened until she knew she was pulling it as she kissed him furiously. Her lips were hard and demanding as she felt her own passion build in her body. Sam could feel herself trembling in his arms as her tongue danced with his.

Her nose was filled with Jake's scent. He always smelled a little like horse, a lot like the Imperial Leather Soap he used and just a bit like something spicy that she couldn't put her finger on. A long time ago Sam had been convinced that there was no smell better in the world than the smell of horses.

She'd been wrong.

There was no scent in the world better than Jake.

Sam could feel Jake's iron grip on his self control begin to slip. His arms braced against her back, pressing her even harder against him and his hands gripped her shoulders tightly. His tongue swept against hers with increased pressure and Sam grinned when he made a tiny sound I his throat. If she didn't know better Sam might think that Jake had just groaned at how well she kissed.

She wasn't expecting that he would let go though. If her tongue hadn't been dancing with his Sam would have gasped. She could feel the exact moment when Jake gave up trying to keep himself under control because his kiss became urgent and demanding as he plundered her mouth like a pirate with a treasure chest. One hand slid up the back of her shirt and Sam felt her toes curl in ecstasy. She was so wrapped up in the feel of his kiss, the warmth of his strong arms, the silkiness of his hair that she almost didn't hear the knock on her door.

Jake did though.

Both of them pulled back from kissing and froze at the sound of the soft knock.

"Sam, honey?" Brynna's voice came from outside the door and Sam wondered in her step-mother knew not to just knock once before pushing the door open like always.

Sam and Jake stared at each other, wide eyed. His forehead was pressed tenderly against hers. Sam smiled at him just a little bit before she unlocked her ankles and let her legs slide to the floor. For just a minute Jake didn't let her go, even as Sam called

"Yeah?"

Sam almost cursed at the huskiness of her voice ad she blushed when Jake gave her his lazy tomcat smile. She narrowed her eyes at him before pulling away from him and turning towards the door. Behind her Jake bent and began to rummage through his duffle bag for a clean shirt while Sam pulled open the door. She was partially tempted to open it a little way and lean in the gap so that Brynna wouldn't know that Jake was in her room shirtless, but decided that would seem even more suspicious than just having Byrnna know Jake had no shirt on. Plus Sam figured her lips were probably red and swollen anyway from all the kissing.

Brynna stood in front of Sam in her bathrobe. Her red hair was loose from its braid and her pregnant stomach bulged in front of her. She looked very tired. Sam watched her realize Jake had no shirt on and saw her raise her eyebrows. But she didn't say a word about it, nor did she give Sam a questioning or accusing look.

"Sam, could I borrow some of that lovely bubble-bath of yours?" She asked with a pleading look. Sam knew how much Brynna loved her bubble-bath. She'd found the stuff in San Francisco. It smelled divine. Like wildflowers and rain. After buying a small bottle of it while living with Aunt Sue for the summer last year Sam had realized she wanted more. She bought a big boxful. Gram and Brynna both loved it too.

"Sure." Sam said as she wandered towards her cupboard, trying not to star at Jake, he still hadn't put a shirt on. "But are you sure you be be getting down in the bath this far along, Mom?" Sam asked her.

She watched Jake's head snap up to stare at her out of the corner of her eye when she called Brynna 'Mom'.

Truthfully, Sam still missed her own mother every day, but Brynna was so much a part of the family now, that one day Sam had started calling her Mom. Mostly it was because of Cody. He was too young to understand the concept of his Mom not being Sam's Mom too. Because of him Sam had begun calling Brynna that, to avoid confusion and because the look she'd been given by dad, Gram and Brynna had been one of shock.

Then Brynna had cried.

Brynna must have noticed Jake's shock too because as she wandered in and lowered herself onto Sam's bed she said

"You know it still shocks me sometimes that you call me Mom when Cody isn't around?" Brynna told her, Sam couldn't see her expression because she was digging through the mess in her cupboard for the box filled with bottle of bubble-bath.

"How come?" Sam asked her step-mother.

"Well, honey I'm really flattered that you, but all of us but Cody know that no matter how much I might think of you as my daughter, you really aren't." Brynna told her carefully. Sam could hear her trying to word it in a way that would hurt Sam's feelings.

She didn't say anything until she found a new bottle.

She turned to face Brynna, Jake still knelt on the floor and he was watching her closely. She shrugged.

"Mom's gone. It's sad and it hurts but she's gone." Sam said, watching them with the bottle in her hands. "Cody doesn't need the confusion and you're really a part of the family now. Dad and Gram raised me after Mom died, but you came along and helped. So in some ways you might as well be. We look enough alike that you could be anyway." Sam said quietly, shrugging again.

She could see the shock on Jake's face at her blunt words but she pretended not to. She might still miss Mom but the truth was that she was gone and could never come back. Brynna looked at her sadly

"Oh honey, it means the world to me that you think so. But the only one around this place who might think we're related is Cody. You look so much like Louise, honey. Your Dad still catches his breath thinking he's seeing her ghost when he looks at you sometimes." Brynna told her with a sad smile.

Sam kept her face closed off. Talk of Mom still hurt sometimes. She still remembered the day she turned sixteen when she'd plaited her long hair in two plaits, one either side of her face. She'd found some daisies in Gram's garden and threaded them into the ends of her plaits. They'd been going out for dinner that night and as a present to Sam Gram had given her one of Mom's old dresses. The blue one she'd worn the day she arrived at the ranch for the first time and fallen so in love with this place.

It fit Sam perfectly. She'd dug out a pair of sandals to wear and had even used some make up on her face. The family had been waiting for her in the kitchen when she'd come downstairs. Dad hadn't known that Gram had given her one of Mom's dresses. As she walked into the kitchen he'd dropped his blue pottery mug. It had smashed on the floor at his feet but he'd just stared at Sam in shock "Louise?" he'd breathed as though he believed his lost wife had come back from the dead

Gram had gasped when she turned to look at Dad and then at Sam.

"Daddy?" Sam had said softly, worried for him. There in the kitchen on her sixteenth birthday Sam watched in terror as the strongest man she knew broke down in tears. Great heaving sobs had been torn from his chest as he slid to the floor and cried. Gram had tears streaming to as she knelt beside her son and hugged him, beckoning Sam to join them on the floor. Sam had run to them, confused and feeling her own eyes fill with tears when Dad had pulled her onto his lap crushing her to him as he hid his tear stained face on her shoulder. For the longest time the three of them sat there on the floor. Brynna had taken Cody into the lounge room. Sam knew that night had hurt her step-mother, but she had given Gram, Dad and Sam some time together.

Sam remembered the way she had whispered to them that they didn't have to go out for dinner, it was only to Clara's after all. But Dad had insisted. Sam had asked Gram if maybe she should change, but Dad had heard her and he told her that she looked so beautiful that it would be an injustice to change.

Since that day, Sam's relationship with Dad had changed. He'd started treating her more like an adult, putting more faith in her abilities, giving her more responsibilities, trusting her judgment. Sam always wondered if it was because she had looked more like an adult, just been more mentally mature or if it was because she looked so much like Mom. Dad asked her opinion on matters concerning the ranch more and during the spring cattle drive before she turned seventeen Sam had heard Dad tell Jed Kenworthy that Sam was like his right hand.

"Sam?" Brynna's soft voice pulled Sam out of her thoughts and she looked up to meet her step-mother's eyes.

Sam raised her eyebrows at her before realizing she still clutched the bottle of bubble-bath. Quickly she walked across the room and helped Brynna to her feet before handing her the bottle. Sam knew Jake was watching her, but she also knew he didn't like awkward situations. Pretending she didn't notice that he still hadn't out his shirt on Sam wandered out of the room.

When she reached the top step she grabbed their sleeping bags before running downstairs, through the deserted kitchen and into the yard.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam had rolled out the sleeping bags in an empty stall in the barn that was filled with straw and was standing in the ten acre pasture when Jake strode out of the house. She watched him glance around the ranch yard before dropping his duffle bag to the ground and stepping off the porch.

He'd changed into a comfortable looking faded blue t-shirt and a pair of his track pants from when he used to run in high school. Sam was surprised they were still long enough for him. Jake spotted her even though she stood surrounded by Tempest, Ace and Popcorn. All three horses jostled in close, wanting some attention. The other horses in the pasture had crowded in too until they realized she didn't have any food for them.

Jake let himself into the ten acre pasture and walked towards her slowly, making sure not to spook the horses. For a long time they both stood in the pasture, petting the horses without speaking. Sam could tell Jake wanted to say something to her and she wondered if it would be about the situation with Brynna or about the little make out session they'd shared in her room before Brynna interrupted.

Sam was all sorts of confused. The Brynna thing really didn't bother her. She'd meant it when she said that Brynna was as good as her real mother now. She was, when she could she tried to talk to Sam about her problems although that rarely worked out well, because Sam usually turned as close-lipped as any of the cowboys.

No Sam was confused about Jake.

After he'd driven away and left her behind, breaking her heart as he ripped it out of her chest and drove away with the damn thing in his back pocket Sam had decided that he must have broken up with her for one of three possible reasons. Because he either thought their relationship couldn't survive the distance, or because on spite of his declaration he maybe didn't love her after all or because he didn't trust her. All three options had hurt when she considered but she had never really decided on which was most likely.

They'd fallen back to being friends, after a period of awkwardness since they only saw each other during summer when he came home. Their phone calls had been sparse and awkward because both had developed the habit of not talking much.

Now Jake was home for good. He'd told her so just this afternoon. That he was home and never leaving again. Which left the awkwardness of this afternoon's kiss to deal with. Yes Sam had teased Jake earlier with a few unnecessary poses, seductive smiles and teasing touches. But they were supposed to be just friends. "Just friends" didn't kiss each other the way they'd kissed in her room. Even good friends who'd once been an item for a few months didn't go around kissing like that. In thinking that Sam also chose to ignore the fact that when she'd visited Jen at her college, they'd gotten a little drunk and Sam had woken up with a tattoo on the inside arch of her left foot that read " _Love is Friendship set on fire_."

The problem, Sam decided, was that in spite of her best efforts she still seemed to love Jake. He'd broken her heart and in time she'd forgiven him, even though she still didn't know why he'd done it. And now they'd kissed and Sam didn't really feel bad about it. She felt like she wanted to do it again.

"You keep worryin' at your lip like that and you'll wear a hole in it." Jake's low voice told her over Ace's back, shocking her from her ponderings.

"It always heals right up." Sam replied softly, knowing Jake would understand that she had in fact chewed it until she's damaged her lip in the past. But it had healed. It always healed.

Jake snorted, he sounded amused, but Sam could see from his face that he understood that she spent a lot of time biting her lip. Shoot, knowing Jake with his debatable psychic powers he could probably figure out that most of her lip biting happened when she thought of him.

Deciding it was probably for the best right now not to say that, Sam also decided it would be for the best to not talk about their kiss. Even if it had left her feeling feverish and jittery and like she wanted to do it again. No the safest option would be to steer them back to safe conversation.

"Sam…" Jake began softly. Sam could see him rubbing the back of his neck as he did when he felt uneasy. Looking over Tempest's back at him she considered for a moment letting him get on with what he seemed to want to say, but knowing Jake, and knowing that determined look he had on his face, he was going to say something that would make them both uncomfortable.

"Got her trained up real nice now." Sam told him, her eyes travelling down to look at the filly in front of her. Lately Sam had been thinking it might be fun to breed Tempest. Even though she was an angel and the perfect horse when Sam rode her, she still sometimes got a little unruly when Dad or one of the hands needed to ride her. Dallas had suggested Sam talk to Katie Sterling about breeding Tempest to one of the stallions at Sterling Stables instead of accepting payment for the recent re-schooling Job she had taken on. One of their horses had developed a nasty habit of biting riders while they rode.

Sam glanced up at Jake. By his silence Sam knew that Jake realized Sam didn't want him to mention what had transpired earlier. She could see on his face that he didn't look particularly happy about the fact that she was skirting around the issue either. Figuring he would either talk when he was ready or go on with what he meant to say despite her trying to distract him Sam gave her horse one last pat before striding to the gate and letting herself out of the Ten acre pasture. She could help the little grin that spread across her face when Jake fell into step beside her. It was definitely a change to have him tagging along with her, rather than the other way around.

When they reached the barn Sam didn't bother with turning on the lights. After all they had both spent enough time in this barn that they could stride through the inky darkness confidently. Sam grinned when she heard Jake's steps slow after she disappeared into the stall where she had rolled out their sleeping bags.

"Sam?" his low voice questioned her. He was still standing outside the stall and Sam couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped her. There had been a time when Jake could pinpoint exactly where Sam was no matter how dark the room or how many other people were present, nothing could distract him from finding her. Her giggle gave her away though because she heard Jake's footsteps as he stepped onto the straw towards her.

"Used to be you could find me without questioning where I was first." Sam said softly when she felt the air stir around her and realized that she smell the scent that was uniquely Jake from somewhere in front of her. She heard a faint snort from somewhere far closer to her than she expected. It seemed Jake was standing directly in front of her. Close enough that if the wind caught her hair it would easily sweep against Jake's skin.

"Used to be you were always so impatient that your feelings were like a beacon that always led me straight to you." Jake replied in a low, almost husky voice. "But it seems that since I left you sealed up tighter than a clam's ass." He continued, surprising Sam with his choice of words and with the fact that he was talking so much at all. Of course the topic of conversation wasn't really something she wanted to discuss with Jake at this point given that it was all because of him that she was like this anyway.

Sam took a deep breath and reached through the dark to find Jake's hand. As she sat down on her sleeping bag she tugged on his arm, indicating that he should sit too. When Sam had arranged herself in her own sleeping bag she peered through the darkness at Jake. He was in his own sleeping bag, which she'd arranged next to hers. She couldn't see his face, only his dark silhouette within the darkness of the barn. He was reclined in his sleeping bag, with his arms curled up, his hands beneath his head as he lay on his back.

Sam suspected he was looking sideways at her, just as she was looking at him.

"So…" Sam began, not really sure where she intended to take the conversation. For several long moments there was complete silence between them.

"So?" Jake asked finally. Sam wasn't entirely sure whether he was amused or irritated.

"Whatcha been doin'?" Sam asked, falling back to the Western drawl she'd developed and picking the safest topic she could think of. Jake sighed.

"You know, it used to be me who tried to avoid conversations that might be uncomfortable or the type that caused a scene. When'd you develop such, uh, evasiveness Sam?" Jake asked her. Apparently he was irritated.

"Don't know what ya mean." Sam mumbled, trying to avoid this confrontation.

Jake growled, making that noise in his throat again before Sam heard straw rustle and felt the air shift. The next thing she knew Jake had her pinned beneath him. He rolled so that his body covered hers completely, so that his heavy body pressed down on her even though he held his face and chest up with his arms, she could also sense his hands either side of her.

"Samantha Forster…." Jake growled from above her. He was still mad.

"What Jake?" Sam demanded, her hands inside her sleeping bag trying to push against him. It was useless, she didn't have enough leverage to shift him, and even if she had, she probably couldn't have anyway. Her heart rate had amped up at the feel of his weight pressing down on her deliciously and the feverish feelings from their earlier kiss had her skin lifting in goose bumps.

"If I have to drag every damn word out of you I will, Brat. Get to talkin'!" Jake demanded, his face inches from hers. Sam feigned ignorance.

"What would you like to know Jacob?" Sam asked, trying to rein in her frustration by burying it beneath a thick layer of sarcasm.

"Why are you ignoring the fact that we kissed?" Jake asked her levelly.

It was strange to see Jake like this, normally he was so shy and controlled, coaxing information from people in a way that made them think they'd wanted to tell him all along. Sam sighed.

"Who says I'm ignoring it?" Sam demanded, pulling irritation on like a blanket and using her own questions to keep from answering. Even in the dark Sam could tell that Jake was fixing her with a scathing look. When she stayed silent I spite of the no doubt menacing look he was giving her Jake growled

"Sam?" he ground out impatiently. Sam grinned. Sometimes it was really fun to irritate Jake. Maybe she could get him hot and bothered as well as irritated. Sam grinned evilly in the darkness.

"Jake." Sam breathed her friend's name, lacing her tone with longing. Sam grinned when she felt Jake freeze and heard his breath catch. Then she giggled.

"Jake why are you making a big deal of this?" Sam asked him quietly, deciding it was probably mean to tease him when he was grouchy.

"I wasn't. You made it a big deal by trying to skirt around the subject." He told her in a low voice.

Sam made a noise of irritation, not even realizing that once again Jake had turned her into the easily irritated child with a runaway mouth.

"Look Jake, we kissed and friends aren't supposed to, but we did anyway. So what?" Sam demanded. She was irritated about the whole thing.

Not just because he was making a big deal about it, but because he'd driven off four years ago moments after telling her he loved he, breaking up with her and tearing out her heart as he did. Then he'd spent four years away at college while she'd stayed here pushing herself as hard as she could to keep from thinking about the fact she missed him and still loved him and probably would for the rest of her damn life. Sam managed to drag her arm up beneath her sleeping bag until her fingers brushed against the braid of white horse hair she wore around her neck.

Why didn't Jake get it that he hurt her? Did he not pay attention to the pictures in her room? Why was he making a big deal about kissing her when it was him who'd broken off their relationship before leaving for four years? It made no sense for him to make a big deal of the two of them kissing when he clearly didn't love her.

"So what?" Jake demanded, drawing Sam back into their argument "That's all you're gonna say?" Now Jake was really angry. Sam could hear it in the way his voice vibrated with rage.

"What else is there to say, Ely?" Sam demanded, so angry that she could only use his last name. It's not like she could tell him she wanted to kiss him again or that despite how much he'd hurt her she was still in love with him.

"If that's the best you've got on the subject then why did you kiss me at all?" He asked he in a low dangerous voice, daring to answer him with the truth not just evasive angry nonsense.

Sam stayed stubbornly silent. She wasn't gonna lie and say she didn't know, because she did. She kissed him because she'd missed him, and she'd forgiven him for hurting her, and she still loved him and he looked amazing shirtless. But she couldn't answer with the truth either, not when he obviously didn't love her back.

For what felt like hours they stayed like that. Jake pinning her with his body, both of them wrapped in their own sleeping bags. Sam liked the feel of Jake's weight pinning her down. Angry as they were at each other, battling will against will to see who was the most stubborn of the two of them now, Sam had to admit there was something comforting and familiar about the situation. Maybe it was because her subconscious knew and recognized Jake's scent as one that meant friendship and love and felt just a little bit like home. Maybe it was because Sam took comfort in the familiar and there was nothing more familiar then her and Jake arguing.

Or maybe, a small voice in Sam's mind whispered, it was because Sam would be happy to argue with him- if it meant he'd always be here- for the rest of her life.


End file.
